Combination shirt-protector and laundry bag.



J. M. IVIcLAWS. COMBINATION SHIRT PROTECTOR AND LAUNDRY B APPLICATION FILED FEB, I0, I915- Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

JESSE MORGAN MQL AWS, 0F BATON ROUGE, LOUIS IANA.

COMBINATION SHIRT-PROTECTOR AND LAUNDRY ZBAG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

Application fi1ed February 10, 1915, Serial No. 7,402.

To all whom it may concern Be itknown that I, JEssE M. MCLAWS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baton Rouge, in the parish. of East Baton Rouge and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in CombinationShirt-Protector and Laundry Bags, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has for its object the provision of an envelop for freshly laundried shirts or the like, capable of being folded and sealed in a manner whereby a stiflening member associated with, the envelop will be disposed above the bosom of the shirt to protect the same from injury during its transportation from the laundry to the customer.

I further aim to provide a device ofv this character, which in addition for use in theabove described manner, is intended to serve 1n the capacity of a bag for the collectlon of soiled garments to be sent back to the laundry, and is adapted to be suspended from the wall by means of the stiffening member, whereby the mouth of the bag will be normally held open to facilitate the. depositing of the soiled clothes in the bag.

Other objects will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same residing in the specific construction, combi nation and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing forming a part of this application like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a view showing the manner of using the device in connection with a freshly laundried shirt. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the bag unfolded. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of'the same. I

For the specific purposes claimed for the invention, the same essentially consists of a bag 5 constructed from any suitable material, preferably paper of suitable quality for the use which the bag is intended. The bag can be of any desired dimensions, providing its width is equal to the length of the shirt when folded in the ordinary and well known manner after being laundried.

Suitably secured to the inner side of the front wall 7 of the bag is a cardboard 8 coextensive in width with the width of the said wall, and extending above the upper edge thereof. A bag of a size to accommodate a single shirt, such as illustrated is preferably of a length equal to the combined wldths of three shirts, to permit the bag or envelop to be folded in the manner shown. Now, when it is desired to use the device as an envelop for freshly laundried shirts, the latter are arranged transversely within the envelop with the bosom toward the front wall 7. The lower end of the envelop together with the shirt is then folded over the intermediate portion 9 of the envelop, and the opposite end 10 is then folded upon the lower endportion so as to bring the stilfening member or cardboard 8 above the bosom of the shirt to protect the same from injury while being delivered to the customer.

, Fixed to-the front wall 7 of the envelop immediately above the fold line of the lower end portion thereof, are sealing tabs 11, adapted to extend over the free edge of the cardboard 8 together with a portion of the envelop, and be. adhesively secured thereto to retain the folds of the envelop securely connected together.

After the laundry has been delivered to the customer, the device is susceptible for use as a laundry bag for the collection of soiled garments to be sent back to the laundry. For use in this capacity the tabs 11 are broken, and the envelop unfolded as shown in Fig. 2. With the freshly laundried articles removed from the bag the latter can be suspended from a nail or hook in the wall or other suitable support, by means of the cardboard having an opening 12 for the reception of said nail or the like. When suspended in this manner the mouth of the bag will normally be held open, to.

facilitate the depositing of the soiled clothes therein, the bag serving as a wrapper therefor in sending the clothes back to the laundry.

Secured to the card board 8 as shown, is a small strip of paper adapted for use as a laundry list of the clothes sent to the laundry.

It is believed that from the foregoing description the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation and therefore the same has been omitted. However I desire to have it understood that various changes in the construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention,

\Vhat I claim is 1. A device of the class described comprising a bag, a piece of relatively stiff material secured to one wall of the bag and extending above the upper edge thereof, said bag being divided by fold lines into a plurality of foldablesections, said stiffening element constituting a part of the uppermost section and being of the same dimensions as the remaining sections, and adapted to be the finally folded section, and securing tabs fixed to one wall of the bag and adapted to be secured to said stiffening element when in folded position.

2. A combined shirt protector and laundry bag, comprising a bag, a cardboard secured to one Wall of the bag and extending above the upper edge thereof and securing tabs fixed to the side of the wall opposite the side towhich the cardboard is secured.

3. A combined shirt protector and laundry bag, comprising a bag adapted to be folded upon itself, a cardboard secured to one wall of the bag and extending above the upper edge thereof, and securing tabs fixed to the side of the wall opposite the side to which the cardboard is secured, said tabs being arranged at a point in the'length'of said wall and adapted to be secured to the cardboard when the bag is folded.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JESSE MORGAN MGLAWS. \Vitnesses:

ANTHONY WOLF, M. L. SMITH. 

